The Mark Twain Health Care District Board took the path most traveled this week by joining a lengthy group of supporters for a trail route through San Andreas.

We have a lot of wonderful segments, but theyre like isolated islands, said Jim Kavanagh, San Andreas Recreation and Park District board director. We hope to create pedestrian and bicycle opportunities to unify these elements.

The result is the Walk & Bike San Andreas Project. The proposed early phases would start at Calaveras High School, continue through Nielson Park and include San Andreas Elemen-tary School on to Turner Park. Later phases would connect Treat Avenue with the services and centers along Mountain Ranch Road, including the Alex Quinones Community Park.

We want to create feeder routes to the major trails, Kavanagh said, referencing the mile-long loop now being cleared at the ballpark. With two hospitals, the senior center, the government center, the library, the park how many people are in these facilities every day?

Kavanagh said of the large number of people who work in San Andreas, he estimates 80 percent commute and 20 percent live in town.

(San Andreas is) hands-down the largest employer, he said. Could we change that dynamic to make this a more attractive place to live? It is our goal and hope to create a network of trails, paths, walkways, contiguous sidewalks and crosswalks that can help make walking and bicycling in our community much more inviting.

Kavanagh said the recreation district is also working with Caltrans for more crosswalks across Highway 49. He said the plan also includes crosswalks along Mountain Ranch Road, which, along with the highway, are formidable barriers for bicyclists and pedestrians of any age, he said.

Encouraging activity meets the mission of both the project along with the health care district, Kavanagh said.

The key component of this is to have a healthier community, so we can just use our feet and legs to get us where we want to go, he said. Im a resident here and I love it, but you just about have to get in your car to go anywhere.

Health care district board President Lin Reed said this project has been a long time coming.

More here:

Health district gears up for road ahead